Best Hunkar Begendi Recipes

HUNKAR BEGENDI (TURKISH EGGPLANT (AUBERGINE) CREAM)

Steps:

• Grill eggplants whole without peeling them by holding over a flame and turning slowly, or prick skin in several places and set in hot oven.
• When the skin begins to break and the inside pulp feels soft, slip off the skin; discard sacs containing seeds and chop up pulp; put pulp in a saucepan.
• Mix lemon juice with pulp and simmer until very soft, stirring often (10-15 minutes).
• Meanwhile, melt butter, add flour to it and allow flour to brown.
• Beat the butter and flour mixture into the eggplant.
• Slowly add several tablespoons of hot milk and the nutmeg and continue beating until mixture resembles mashed potatoes.
• Lastly add several tablespoons of grated cheese and cook several minutes more.
• Serve immediately.

TURKISH STYLE CHICKEN WITH HUNKAR BEGENDI

Steps:

• FOR CHICKEN: Brown chicken in a little olive oil. Place pieces in roasting pan, and then brown onions and garlic in oil from chicken. Add the 4 spices, and cook a bit longer. Add to chicken pieces in roasting pan, along with rest of ingredients, except walnuts. Roast for about 2 hours, until chicken is tender. Remove chicken pieces and cool them to handling temperature. Discard bay leaves. Remove skin and bones from chicken, and pull meat into large shred. Return meat to pan, mix and adjust seasonings. Heap onto serving platter and top with the nuts. Serve over Hunkar Begendi FOR HUNKAR BEGENDI: Poke holes in eggplants with a fork, and cook over hot coals or flames, close to heat source. Keep turning them so all four sides cook and turn dark brown and charred, and flesh inside becomes very soft. Hold top of eggplant with a towel, over a large bowl. Cut down the side, and scoop out the inside, into the bowl. Remove any pieces of charred skin that may fall in. Mash the pulp and whip with wire whisk, as you add lemon juice. Beat until it becomes light in color and broken down to a creamy consistency. Melt butter in pan and mix in flour. Slowly add half the milk and stir until thickened. Add a small grating of nutmeg. Add the eggplant, and cheese and heat a few minutes, stirring. Add more milk if it appears too thick. Season with Salt and Pepper. Serve with either stewed meat or Turkish Style Chicken heaped in the center.

HUNKAR BEGENDI

Steps:

• Stew: Fry the onion in the oil till soft. Add meat and brown. Add garlic and cook for a few seconds longer.
• Add tomatoes, sugar, and salt and pepper to taste.
• Add water to cover and simmer with the lid on for about 1 or 1 1/2 hours, till meat is very tender.
• If necessary, add more water or let the sauce reduce a bit to get a good saucy consistency.
• Eggplant Sauce: Prick eggplants all over and roast in a very hot oven (500 degrees or as hot as your oven goes) for 30 minutes, until eggplants soften and skin chars. Cool and peel carefully.
• Put lemon juice in a bowl of water and put peelec eggplants in acidified water to keep them white.
• Melt butter in saucepan, add flour and stiur over very low heat for 2 minutes or until well-blended. Remove from the heat and add milk gradually, beating vigorously. Season with nutmeg, salt and pepper to taste. Cook ove rlow heat for 15 minutes, until sauce thickens.
• Drain the eggplants in a colander and squeeze out as much water and juice as possible. Chop in the colander and mash with a fork (I think this step is meant to allow additional drainage).
• Mix with the milk sauce until well blended. Return to the heat, add grated cheese, stir until melted and add more salt and pepper if necessary.
• Serve the stew with the eggplant cream in a ring around it. Serve with rice.

HUNKAR BEGENDI

Steps:

• Roast eggplant by pricking each one in 3 or 4 places with the tines of a fork. Turn ever 15 minutes, until eggplant is very soft. Remove from oven after about an hour. Cut and spoon out eggplant. Mash in puree. In a 3-4 quart saucepan, heat butter, add milk and flour. Then add eggplant, and mix well. Take off heat, and add grated romano cheese, and fresh black pepper.